Improved mode of receiving and delivering mails and packages on railroad-cars



w. J. KETCHUM.

Mail-Bag Catcher. I No. 48,954. Patented July 25. 1865.

Witnesses; X25 %;4a%

AM. FHUi'O-Ll THU. CO. NM (OSSORFEE PROCESS) UNITED STATES PATENTOEFIcE.

WILLIAM JAY KETCHAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVED MODE 0F RECEIVING AND DELIVERING MAlLS AND PACKAGES ONRAILROAD-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,954, dated July 25,1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM JAY KETCHAM, of the city and county ofWashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a certain new anduseful automaticmail and express messenger to be attached to cars forreceiving and delivering mails and express-packages at the stations onthe line of railroad without stopping or dimishing the speed of thecars; and the following is a clear, full, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ofthis specification, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective side viewof a broken-ofl'section of a car with the drawer open to receive anddeliver a mail-bag or package at the station. Fig. 2 shows a plan or topview of the same at the time of changing the mails. Fig.3 shows abroken-off sectional end view of a car with the drawer to receive anddeliver the mails, the station, and the apparatus for operating thesame.

The object of my invention is to deliver, and at the same time receive,a-.mail-bag or package at the station without requiring the agency orattention of any one at the time the change takes place.

My invention consists in placing in a car .a movable drawer, in whichthe mail bags or packages. are placed, on the inside of the car, to beshoved out and dropped into a box to receive them at the station, themovable drawer being so constructed as to form a recess to take in amail-bag or package at the same time, it being operated automatically asthe car passes the station independent of any person connectedtherewith.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my mail and expressmessenger, I will describe it more in detail, referring to the drawings,and to the letters marked thereon.

In any convenient place in the sides of the car openings of any desiredwidth and length may be made, into which is fitted a movable drawer, A,which has a box, a, iii the center,

' into which the mail-bag B is placed to be delivered. On each side ofthe box a there is an extended platform, I) b, so constructed that theends 0 c of the drawer A form guards to take off the mail or package andsecure it within the car, as the drawer A is closed up flush with theside of the car, the central box, a, being made flaring, the largest atthe bottom, which is open, so that when the drawer is thrust out themail-bag will drop out freely into the box D, placed alongside of thetrack at at the station. At the same time the mail Bis delivered in thebox D. The mail-bag B, having been placed upon the arm E, which issecured to the post F at a suitable height, or on a platform or tablefor the purpose, is taken off by the ledge c, secured on thedrawer-platform b, and isinstantly deposited within the car.

The apparatus G H I, by which the movable drawer A is made to performthe double function of receiving and delivering--or, in other words,changing the mails or packages-may be placed on the top of the car, sothat the inclined surface G of the bar or timber H will come in contactwith the friction-roller it, placed in a proper position at the station,or the frictionrollers a may be attached to the slide 9 on the car,which connects by the lever I with the movable drawer A, the inclinedtimber being secured in position to operate at the stations. In thiscase the inclined timbers may be of any required length, so that an easyautomatic motion is given and no shock to the car is felt, although thechanging of the mail-bags may be effected with the cars going at a highrate of speed. Various mechanical devices may be used and applied todifferent places, both on the cars and at the stations, to perform theautomatic movement required.

It will readily be seen that by my invention, as above described, mailand other packages can be taken with certainty and received into thecar, and at the same time another can be .delivered at the station withsafety, While the train is in motion and the cars moving at high rate ofspeed.

The operation of mail-carrying by my automatic mail and expressmessenger will be as follows: The mail post-offioe car being providedwith the apparatus, and all of the mailstations on the line preparedwith the fixtures for operating it, the postmasters at the sta-' tionswill place their mail-bag on the arm E, or a table prepared for thepurpose, in time for the train. The postmaster or agent in the car willalso put the mail to be left at the first station in the box a of themovable drawer A.

No more attention to them is required until the mails are changed, ofwhich due notice done, no further time or attention need be devoted. Themail agents and clerks can attend to their other duties.

Having thus fully described my invention and its operation, What I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Receiving and delivering upon lines of railroad-communication mails andpackages by means of devices connected to the rail Way-car, and operatedat the several points of delivery, in the manner herein described.

WILLIAM JAY KETCHAM.

Vitnesses:

J. B. WOODRUFF, Jos. PEGK.

